


In Demon's Skin

by sOpHiE_s282



Category: Darksiders (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angels vs. Demons, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Gen, Gore, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:20:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27956027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sOpHiE_s282/pseuds/sOpHiE_s282
Summary: Uriel's resolve had been tested time and time again after the Seals were broken. Part of her squad falls to deceit and into a battle that cannot be won. That shouldn't be won. But sometimes rescue comes from the most unexpected places...
Relationships: Abaddon/Uriel (Darksiders), Uriel&Hellguard (Darksiders)
Kudos: 4





	In Demon's Skin

**Author's Note:**

> Just like my previous fic, you can find it on my account on Tumblr along with an art piece here:  
> https://sophi-s.tumblr.com/post/636925492134608896/by-sophi-s-franchise-darksiders-video  
> 

"Hold fast!"

A desperate, yet encouraging shout left Uriel's lips as she sliced a Goreclaw in half, caring very little for the blood splattered over her face and armor, staining her sword in deep crimson. In response to her rally, the group of angels from the Hellguard gathered themselves for one final push against the Horde of Hell. Each of her soldiers could cut down at least twenty relentless demons before they would fall. Unfortunately for the angelic warriors, all that remained now was five, maybe six of them counting Uriel in while the demons seemed to be endless.

A Phantom Guard lunged at Uriel with a vicious roar. She effortlessly parried the attack and sank her own blade into the demon's gut, killing it in fractions of a second. Despite the amount of bodies piled up around them they weren't doing as well as it would seem, considering that six of them stood up to half of the Hell's Legion. Among those bodies there were their brethren. At least twelve of them. One of the still standing angels, Enamel, wielding a Redemption Cannon, blasted a Duskwing out of the sky before casting his commander a frightful glance.

"There's too many of them!"

That much they all knew. Uriel knew this from the moment their small scouting party was ambushed and three angels fell almost immediately. And even though the Hellguard fought ferociously, for each slain fiend three more joined the battle. _Where do they even keep coming from?!_ Their forces seemed endless. No matter how well trained the angels were, no matter how skilled and strong, the lonely squad stood no chance against the magnitude of the entire Horde. Leading her brethren as well as her meager experience allowed her to, Uriel ordered them to go into defensive and try to fall back. It was harder than it seemed. If they turned their backs on the demons and simply attempted to flee, they would surely die, taken down by those who also had ranged weapons on hand. To get out of this alive and with her soldiers, would have to take _everything_ Abaddon had ever taught her. _If only he were here…_ She thought, feeling her rapidly beating heart sadly skip a beat. Abaddon would probably find a way to turn this around and get away nearly unscathed.. _No_. Uriel shook her head and released two slashes of radiance towards approaching adversaries, promptly relieving them of their heads. _There's no time for mourning right now._ If she loses focus only for a second, _she_ will be the one mourned after. She refused to end up like him.

Demons kept falling and kept coming as the angels were being pushed back by the swarm of razor-sharp claws, crude blades and snarling muzzles excitedly screeching for their blood. Uriel spun around and slashed a pouncing Goreclaw across its parted jaws, impaling its back as soon as it fell onto the ground, shrieking in pain. One of the Phantom Guards seized the opportunity and struck while she was distracted. A cry of pain escaped Uriel before she could stop it once a nasty, barbed blade cut through her left shoulder, leaving a long, deep gash all the way down to her elbow. The offense did not remain unanswered however, as an angel, even younger than Uriel, Isiel, jammed his sword into the demon's back, making it exit through its chest. But the moment a wave of relief washed over Uriel as the demon fell, a cold feeling of dread settled back into her stomach once a blast of dark energy struck Isiel right in the chest, tearing through his armor and sending him flying through the air.

" _No!_ "

Isiel hit the ground like a rag doll and remained on his back, wheezing and helplessly trying to pull himself up. He was still alive but Uriel could only imagine how much pain he was in. Ribs were surely broken and his insides very likely damaged. Whipping around to face the fiend responsible for this, a Shadowcaster no less, twisted, animalistic and grinning maliciously, Uriel once again sent a slash of Heavenly light which cut through the air with a whizz, soon taking the grin away as it separated demon's serpentine lower body from the rest. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lailah, a bit older woman kneeling by Isiel's side and trying to help him up. Uriel could hardly blame her. Lately, for every member of the Hellguard each death, be it clean or gruesome, matters not, felt painful and unnecessary. They'd lost so many good people already so every demise was reaching the deepest parts of their souls, filling their hearts with sorrow. Whenever it could be avoided, even at great costs, they felt inclined to do everything they can to prevent it. Especially after they'd lost their general. If there's anything good about the apocalypse, it's that it brings people closer together. The White City would not open its gates before them and so all they had left was themselves.

It was the final moment if they wanted to survive this. They either fall back now or not at all. Uriel shouted to her companions to get back as she flew up into the air only to slam back down on the ground, sending out impulses of electricity, shocking the demons in the first and second line, giving her and her soldiers the much needed opening. That was their chance.

But…

In the chaos filled with resounding crashing of metal, roars of either charging or dying demons and hundreds of heavy footsteps, no angel had heard a sinister sound of enormous wings swiftly growing closer with each beat. Not until it was too late. The moment Uriel called for retreat and was about to join her comrades in escape, the ground trembled under her feet as a grand shadow fell over her and a wall of blistering heat cut off the only escape route. She could hear horrified gasps of the remaining angels even before her hair fluttered on a hot exhale from above and she saw demons halt in their ceaseless assault to look up.

Painfully slowly, Uriel turned around, catching glimpses of her soldiers's aghast looks as they stood by a set of gigantic paws armed with sharp claws, each as long as she was tall. There were very few things Uriel was afraid of. Her courage was something to truly admire. But now, already knowing what sight would greet her even before she looked up, she couldn't help but choke on her own breath as her eyes landed on the monster. A _humongous_ dragon with scales as black as sin, marked by a web of burning cracks, like volcanic rocks, its head adorned with two pairs of twisted horns, the lower left one broken off, was looming over them and glaring down at them. Uriel could've sworn she'd felt her heart cease its drumming only to start anew with tripled ferocity under this smouldering gaze. If this wasn't the best example of being stuck between a hammer and a hard place, then nothing was.

Despite how grave the situation was, Uriel had to try really hard not to laugh sarcastically. The almighty Destroyer himself came after her and the small part of the Hellguard. She honestly wasn't sure if she should feel honored that the Hell's General gave them his precious time, or if she should be angry at the Universe for being so bent on murdering her lately. Isn't that enough that Abaddon had fallen? Does _she_ need to die as well? Sighing with defeat, Uriel stared up at the Destroyer still sneering at them spitefully. Or maybe he wasn't sneering at all? Hard to tell. The bastard seems like he's always looking to pick up a fight. Maybe it's the eyes… or maybe the nasty, jagged teeth not concealed by any lips, constantly bared in something resembling a blood-hungry snarl? She couldn't decide and at this point she hardly cared. It didn't matter what she would do anymore. Anything would end the same way. This was it. And so, the Champion of the White City meets her end at the hands- _claws_ , of the Destroyer on this shattered world, leaving this life behind far too soon before she could have her vengeance for Abaddon's death. If there's anything good in it, she wouldn't have to struggle to survive anymore and maybe, just maybe a lucky twist of fate will let her find her beloved in the City of the Dead… Though honestly, considering how _lucky_ she'd been thus far, to say Uriel was reluctant to rely on good fortune would be a severe understatement. The only thing that saddened her was that without a leader the remaining Hellguard will fall as well.. None of them deserved this fate. Did she?

_What did I do to suffer so?_

All of the survivors - Enamel, Ariel, Azar and Lailah supporting Isiel on her shoulder - backed away from the Destroyer and towards Uriel to seek at least some semblance of comfort and kinship in their last moments on this planet.

Uriel held her gold and silver sword tightly, unwilling to go out without a weapon in hand, when she heard one of the demons behind her growl something in demon-speech she couldn't quite catch but there was no doubt in her mind that this one was speaking to the Destroyer, possibly asking for orders. After all, it's rare for him to interfere in such trivial matters. He had to have had a good reason. Not even taking his gaze off their small group, Destroyer narrowed his eyes and murmured, more to himself than to his subordinates, however, not in the same language, but in _common_ _tongue._ And _that_ Uriel could _definitely_ understand.

"No mercy for the wretches."

Casting a hateful glare up at the Destroyer, Uriel pressed her mouth into a thin line, speaking a silent promise of vengeance, if not by her hand then someone else's. He will not get away with his crimes even if he retreated into the deepest corners of the Abyss itself. _You will regret this._ She wordlessly told him. But then, something unexpected happened. The Destroyer answered her determined look with a squint and a huff of smoke through the blazing hole where his nose should be.

_I know._

His look clearly said, stunning Uriel for just a short moment before a gunshot rang out and a blazing stake came screaming at an alarming velocity towards all angels huddled together. The Champion shut her eyes on a reflex just as her companions screamed with alarm, silently calling out to the Creator and to Abaddon to forgive her for her failure, bracing for the inevitable pain. Pain that, to her utter bewilderment, never came. A rapid movement, heat wrapping around the six of them like a blanket, a deafening explosion close by, surprised and outraged roars of the Horde breaking through the ringing in her ears caused by the aforementioned explosion… and then silence. No pain.

Uriel pried her eyes open and scrutinized her surroundings, with a pang of horror, shock and confusion realising that she and the rest are directly _under_ the Destroyer who had moved to shield them from the blow with the vast expanse of his blood-red, leathery wings. _What_. Both the demons and her soldiers had the same look of dumb flabbergastion on their faces when she glanced at them, maybe except for poor Isiel who had passed out by that point. Uriel shifted her gaze from her shocked brethren to the underside of Destroyer's spiked chin, noting how his voice box was starting to vibrate to produce a low, menacing growl from the depths of his massive, armored chest, rumbling around them like a thunder. And what a horrid sound it was…

"Heaven's grace…"

She heard Azar whisper with dread, pale as a sheet of paper as though he was about to faint as well and she couldn't really blame him for it. They brushed with death in battle, had the Destroyer himself come after them and suddenly the same Destroyer for a reason she couldn't fathom decided to save them the painful demise by moving his own wing into the way of a flaming projectile. The same monster who led his minions against the Hellguard to slaughter them more times than Uriel was able to count _._ But this time something was different. _Anyone_ would've been terrified and shocked. Uriel would really give _anything_ to know what in the Nine Circles was happening up inside his head at this very moment. But as though it wasn't enough to cause her distress, the Destroyer parted his jaws and released a bloodcurdling roar that sent tremors through the very earth the Hellguard stood on before _pouncing_ over their heads and crashing into the army of demons with the force of a wrecking ball.

Neither side was prepared for what was about to transpire. Uriel and her warriors watched with wide eyes the chaos that ensued. The mass of flailing limbs, not always necessarily attached to their bodies, blood spurting here and there from time to time, bursts of fire from demonic guns and from Destroyer's throat. Flaming claws were swiping with frightening aggression, blackened teeth clacking every time they found a defenseless target, tail swishing, knocking demons around like they were just toys, as the General of Hell was laying waste to his own Legion. For a moment Uriel was sure she's hallucinating or something when she heard Ariel blurt out

"By Abaddon's eye, what is _happening_ ?!"

"You're seeing this too, right? I am not losing my mind?"

Enamel followed and with utmost certainty Uriel could say that none of them is going insane and they're truly witnessing the Destroyer ripping demons apart left and right with vicious bellows and growls leaving his maw every time a new body hit the ground or when a blade or claw landed on his armored hide doing next to nothing aside from riling him up even further. Even as stunned as she was, Uriel still managed to duck just in time when the Destroyer flung a bloody Trauma over their heads like the thing weighed no more than a skipping rock. The large demon landed right behind them with its throat torn open and never moved again. It started to make sense. _No mercy for the wretches. He-... he didn't mean us? But the demons?_

Uriel knew that whatever directed Destroyer's actions, this was their chance for escape but no matter how much she wanted to order the Hellguard to flee and then leave with them, she could neither speak nor move, paralyzed by bewilderment and the horrifying scene playing out before her eyes. It wasn't even a fight. It was a _slaughter_. As long as she lives, Uriel had never witnessed a carnage of this magnitude. Even the Endwar seemed to pale in comparison to _this_. All she could do was gawk with her jaw slack and truth be told, others looked exactly the same.

The demons quickly caught the hint that they weren't winning this and soon they were running for their lives with pathetic squeals of terror leaving their mouths. Even as they fled, most of them weren't lucky enough to get out of range of Destroyer's talons or fangs in time. The unfortunate Duskwing that met its end when he jumped up and snapped it out of the air to crush it with his jaws certainly was the unlucky one. Another Phantom Guard sailed through the air and landed at Uriel's feet after the hellish dragon spun and swatted it off its feet with his tail and a blow of his wings in… a vaguely familiar move Uriel had seen many angels, never demons, perform, using a blade instead of a tail. Hell, even _she_ tended to employ this attack in her fights. It was Abaddon who taught her this... To say it was _disconcerting_ would fail to describe half of it. The mere thought chilled her to the bone. Uriel didn't even blink when Azar finished the demon off before it could stand back up. She was still staring at the Destroyer who stood there amidst the sea of corpses and watching what was left of the Horde flee in panic before releasing another furious roar, spitting fire in their direction, as though he hadn't made his point across yet.

Once the demons were either dead or gone, a thick silence fell. So thick that one would hear a pin drop were it not for the raspy panting of the Destroyer still standing before the surviving angels from the scouting party, his massive head low, red wings raised above his head in a threatening manner. Flames were still dancing within his jaws as he rabidly growled after the disappearing army. Then, he slowly turned to face them, covered head to toe in rancid blood and viscera of demons which was quickly drying in the heat his body was producing, and… suddenly, the growling stopped. Still, this mad look half-clouded with bloodlust sent a shiver down Uriel's spine. Destroyer lowered his wings and moved to fully turn to the dumbfounded and very disturbed angels as the ravenous spark faded out of his gaze.

Instinctively, Uriel stepped out from the group protectively, clutching her sword, burning with divine fire, in case he had a change of heart and she still needed to defend herself and her people. It could've been a trick or something but… Uriel didn't know about demons but _she_ wouldn't senselessly murder her own soldiers just to gain trust of such a small group only to turn on them afterwards. It just didn't seem worth it.. nor did it make sense. Though honestly, what _did_ make sense ever since the Destroyer made an appearance? Even still, she didn't wish to take any chances. For a few awfully long minutes she glared at the great wyrm and he glared at her. The tension between the two of them could make the air separating them sharp enough to cut on it. Every second Uriel was prepared for a blast of fire or a simple straightforward physical attack but neither of those things happened. Instead, she noticed the Destroyer's eyes flick down to her left arm where she'd been wounded before. Blood was still oozing down her limb. Somehow, spotting her injury seemed to have broken the stalemate as the Destroyer squinted before lowering his head to break the eye contact.

Filled with new courage, Uriel carefully started to approach him when she was stopped by Azar, quietly hissing

"Don't! He might-"

"He won't.."

She assured him, hoping beyond hope the Destroyer will not make her a liar. A mass of questions swirled in her mind and she was determined to get answers. Uriel slowly closed the gap between herself and the demonic general, fearless yet still cautious, and once she was merely a few feet away and he still made no move to harm her, she said a single word which carried all the power she had within her, even though a tremble of weariness and slowly fading vestiges of fear still remained.

" _Why ?_ "

Absolutely no idea as to his odd behavior came to Uriel's mind. The Destroyer didn't seem to be injured in any way, and after seeing him take on the whole Horde to come out without so much of a scratch, she honestly doubted a regular weapon can damage him at all. Perhaps he was ill? Sickness often can make one delusional or volatile. Uriel had seen many times an ortho lash out at its caretakers in feverish delirium but the Destroyer, despite what some might say, was _not_ an animal relying on instincts but an intelligent and thinking creature. And it still doesn't explain why he spared _them_ while killing his own kin. Besides, _can_ he even get ill? Unlikely.

This certainly was not a madness induced clouding of judgement either. In that case they would've died as well. Whatever the answer was, only the Destroyer himself carried it. And apparently he wasn't keen on sharing it anytime soon. Destroyer's chest moved out and a moment later she felt the unbearably hot breath wash over her as he heaved out a long suffering sigh. But Uriel would sooner die than to let her pride be wounded by covering herself from the heat. Still, he didn't look up, nor did he say a word. If she hadn't known better, she would've said he was.. cowering. As though he was… afraid of her? Strange..

"Tell me."

She insisted, and this time the Destroyer looked up and for just a second locked eyes with her. Well.. _eye_. Only up this close Uriel noticed an old gash over the right one which was no more than a pool of trembling fire. This short but close eye contact was a catalyst. Suddenly, something clicked between them, making Uriel gasp softly. This cold, hollow spot in her mind that was left after a severed bond, when she quite literally _felt_ Abaddon's heart abruptly stop as he was crushed by a demon so gargantuan it made _him_ , an archangel at almost twice as tall as she is, seem small in comparison, before her very eyes, just for a moment flickered with barely perceptible warmth. A stark contrast to the suffocating heat of Destroyer's presence. It lasted no longer than a second but it was undoubtedly there. And the flash of unexpected panic in Destroyer's only eye told her that _he_ had felt it too.

This surely had to be a coincidence, though. What else could it be?

General of Hell took a step back with a quiet, warning rumble leaving his throat before he turned his gaze down, his expression morphing into something akin to anguish as though he was in immense pain. And in this action Uriel saw it all. Sorrow. Anger. Shame. Confusion. Repentance? Of all the creatures in the Universe, she never expected the Destroyer to be this easy to read. All of the sudden it felt as though she'd known him for ages.

"That I cannot do."

He stated simply, moments later spreading his enormous wings and with one mighty beat propelling himself into the air, the gust of wind knocking Uriel down onto her rear. He fled, just like that, leaving the absolutely dumbfounded angels behind. Still stunned by the encounter, Uriel watched the Destroyer quickly turn smaller and smaller until his silhouette completely disappeared between the thick clouds gathered in the sky, oddly enough, feeling the coldness creep back into her head as he departed.

As soon as he was gone, Azar, still deathly pale, ran up to her to help her up.

"Is everything alright?"

"I… I suppose it is…"

She answered hesitantly as her companion pulled her up to her feet. But in truth _nothing_ was alright. How could it after what she'd just witnessed? But despite everything, she couldn't help but feel… grateful. Were it not for the timely intervention of who was supposed to be Heaven's mortal foe neither she nor her soldiers would be standing here. Ariel, a little green in the face came up too and shot a wary glance towards the direction where the Destroyer disappeared.

"What… what just happened?"

"I am uncertain.. The Destroyer just saved our lives. But. Why? Uriel, what do you make of this?"

Looking up at the sky as a distant thunder rolled over the crumbling city, heralding the coming of a rainstorm, Uriel furrowed her eyebrows, humming thoughtfully, still having the memory of this strange feeling lingering in her mind. It _had to_ be a coincidence. That the Destroyer is missing the same eye Abaddon did. That they share a similar fighting style… that something happened when they locked eyes.. Uriel knew all too well that Abaddon has died. She'd seen this happen after all. By all means, it shouldn't be possible. Still, those implications alone made her feel sick. What if... it felt as though she'd known him for ages... because she _has_?

Perhaps she really was going mad? Seeing a connection where there was none? Uriel dared not to voice her dire suspicions. There was no need to strike any more blows to the Hellguard's morale. Besides, she couldn't say for sure just yet. This does not mean she won't turn the world upside down to find out the truth hidden beneath those dark scales however. Hoping, begging it wasn't what she feared...

"I think there's much we do not know yet.."

But one thing she knew for certain. The sight of the Destroyer violently tearing demons to shreds with pure hatred burning in his eyes was still fresh in her mind. This moment when the Destroyer turned to them amidst the corpses of his former allies. The paralyzing glare of his blazing eye…

It will surely haunt her nightmares until the very last breath finally escapes her…


End file.
